Respiration
by sallybubbles
Summary: When discrimination of the minority race is at it's highest peak. Alana formally known by the Malayans as the devils daughter interacting with clean angel blood known by the Eldians. (My own characters. Mentions of characters in the manga and anime will be mentioned through the story.)
1. Reality

Inhaling and exhaling the surrounding oxygen filled with harmful toxins. Calming her nerves and the tension she felt through her muscles, adrenaline constantly running through her veins. She tucked her raven spirals behind her ears. Inhaling, exhaling. Every adjective, every descriptive word she heard, cautiously walking down the crumbled alleyway. "Devils daughter" they chanted through the streets, manipulation and ignorance curdling through their narrow minds. She stayed strong knowing the only thing she had besides her appellation was her dignity. Beatings through the streets. Gasping. Sobbing. What was left of the roads was never silent. Constant screams of agony. A frail and weak man dragging his body along the road. Blood leaking through his torn rags. Alana reached down trying to aid the man's wounds with her milky toned hands covered with dirt. Alana looked at the blood trail he left as he crawled away from the harassment. She whispered calming thoughts to him. As his last breaths passed. Inhaled and exhaled. Alana rose from the filthy ground and looked down at the corpse of the man. "Not paradise" She mumbled. Alana walked conserving the energy she had, she hadn't eaten in days. Alana paced down to the river, silently listening for the rushing of water. She kept walking. "Just keep going" she continuously repeated in her head. She made it to the river. It was filled with debris and grains of sand. She whimpered slightly, feeling the lump in her throat rise. She hadn't drunk in days. She collapsed on the ground next to the scraps of metal. She closed and opened her eyes. Alana thought of her little brother who drowned in the river by one of the Marlyan guards his screams piercing through her ears. A tear escaped her almond shaped eyes. She closed her eyes waiting for her end to begin. "Alana" shouted Elijah. Alana opened her eyes and snapped her head towards the sound of her only comrade calling her name. "Elijah" she screamed. Elijah drew closer towards Alana. He found her lying on the ground."Hey, are you okay?" he asked worried. She smiled the only natural dent in her cheek surfacing. "I am now. Thank Eldia you're here." "You look awful" he smirked. "Don't I always?" she questioned. They embraced for a few minutes appreciating the emotional attachment they had towards each in their familiar comforting scents. A few minutes passed by and they slowly separated" Guess what?" Alana closed her eyes. Throwing her head back. Feeling the sun radiate against her petite body. " You know I don't like guessing games." "well this one is good, I promise." " As promising as the empty tinned food can I found earlier." She replied. " I have water " Elijah stated. Alana snapped her head towards him. Searching his hazel eyes for potential fibs. She was speechless. "Is it?" she could barely finish her sentence feeling the thirst raising in her throat. "It's clean." He smiled and held up a rubber water canister. "Can I-"her voice cracked. Elijah handed her the water canister. She slowly held the water canister feeling its cold exterior. She hastily twisted the cap and pressed the object to her lips and lifted her elbow. The chilled liquid filling her mouth as she slowly swallowed. Careful not to drink the entire canister. The water hydrating her entire body. All the cells in her body quickly waking up from its slumber. " Thank you" Alana smiled at her close friend. "Any time, I do need you alive otherwise this place would be unbearable" Elijah replied. "Let's hunt" she smiled.

**Inspiration for this book came from the Attack on titan franchise. All credit is due where necessary.**


	2. Loss

Adrenaline rushing through their veins as they ran to the edge of the Eldian sector. Running past famished families. Living in poverty was a constant struggle for both Alana and Elijah they continuously had to care for one another. Always concerned about food and water sources. This would cause Alana's anxiety to attack her. Elijah always could calm Alana down, Elijah's mother was a qualified nurse, as qualified as an Eldian could possibly be. Naturally she had a powerful hierarchy compared to other Eldian's. She dealt with neuroscience; immediately giving her an advantage of knowing about social behaviour and decision making controlled by the frontal lobe. She always taught Elijah about medicine and the conditions mainly in the brain. Elijah learnt plenty from this and gave an unprofessional diagnosis to Alana . She had a sever anxiety disorder, she obtained this gradually over the years but mainly triggering her was when her brother was drowned in the river by a Marlyan guard, specifically for the prejudice towards his race. "Dirty blood" the Marlyan guard shouted at her brother as he suffocated him. Holding him down until his body became limp from lack of oxygen. "Filth dies with filth." The guard spat at the young child's corpse. A young Alana screamed and ran towards the poisoned river. Alana dragged her brother's corpse out and embraced the body. Memories and emotions flooded her mind as she clung to her only family. Sobs and muffled cries rang through the streets. She was shaking and permanently emotionally damaged. Society was polluted with prejudice and hatred affecting children, families. Victims of society. Inhale, exhale. She didn't do it for herself but for somebody who couldn't do it for themselves.

Alana shook her head. Trying to forget the moment. She threatened the tears to flood out of her eyes. They didn't. She smiled and looked at Elijah. They ran together and felt the freedom of running. The use of their legs, something that hasn't been taken from them. They ran past houses and crumbled alleyways. The pair finally reached the edge of the sector. They ripped off their identity to the rest of the world. The yellow stared patches fell to the ground , discarded but not forgotten instead placed behind a nearby brick next to a pile of debris. "Remember, don't get noticed by the angel blood's" said Elijah. Alana shook her head understanding. "And if they do notice- i- uh – Just please don't get noticed. You can't go paradise. Understand me?" Alana shook her head. "Don't just shake your head, promise me" Elijah argued. "I promise." Alana replied tucking his blonde strands behind his tanned ear. They hugged each other. Squeezing the life out of each other. They held each other hands for a moment. Then squeezed through the beige brick gap of the the hell hole.


	3. Hidden

Light beaming down on them from the oriental lanterns gifted from the Shogun clan as a sign of peace. Alana squinted her dove coloured eyes from the powerful light intensity. Elijah and Alana put the hoods of their charcoal cloaks above their heads hiding their dark and light manes. Alana black curls framing her face, she used them to shield her face further. She closed her eyes for a moment. Inhale, exhale. She opened her eyes again. "Let's go" Elijah said. They walked through the Marlyan market filled with exotic fruits and meats. Alana had to fight the urge of devouring everything they walked past remembering the fact she hadn't eaten in days. Elijah walked ahead of Alana further into the market. Angel blooded females looked him up and down and licked their lips as if they were the ones suffering from malnutrition. She walked ahead through the market for an item easily accessible to her, nothing. It was summer meaning all the rare melons were out. Watermelons, honeydew, cantaloupe; Alana salivated thinking of them. But she pushed the thought out of her mind, reminding herself that if she didn't watch herself someone else would, sweat beaded on her forehead at the concept. Suddenly Alana felt a pair of eyes on her. Her adrenaline already rushing through her body, ready to run. She observed her surroundings she glanced to the left. When her eyes wandered to the man sitting on a few stone steps. She watched him, ready to pounce at any moment. "Angel blood" she thought to herself. He looked Alana up and down, finally reaching her grey eyes. He gave her a genuine smile. Alana was shocked. She noticed all his physical characteristics, black hair, amber eyes, high cheekbones, no scars, clean face, soft looking skin. He got up from his space and began to walk towards Alana. Alana quickly turned her head forward and began to walk. "Remember the promise you made to Elijah. I won't go to paradise." Alana thought to herself. "HEY!" the man shouted gaining a few looks from surrounding Marlyan's. Alana heart dropped to her ,exhale. She waited a second before turning around,hoping he didn't shout at her. She turned around and there he was. He was quite tall and slightly muscular implying he could easily grab her if she tried to run, playing it cool and collectively is the tactic to use. She smiled making sure she showed the dimples in her cheeks, he stood there for a second looking down on her. "Can I help you with something?" Alana smiled faking confidence. " I've never seen you around before. Where are you from?" He asked with a signature Marlyan accent. Alana remembered the fact that Marley had only one sector but it was quite large compared to the Eldian sector different accents different areas. "North "Alana stated. "North?" He smirked whilst raising an eyebrow. "Isn't that what I just said?" "Yes, it is" he replied. "What's the name?" he asked. Alana heartbeat increased, "if I told him my name they could locate me in the sector and have me sent to paradise, I bet he knows already knows I'm an relax and deal with the situation at hand." "Enough about me, what's your name?" asked Alana. "Wow a question with a question. I'm impressed." "I see you're not easily impressed" Alana smirked. "I'm Leon" He smiled. "I'm-" she started,"Hey Lana "Elijah said coming up from behind me, putting his arm around her protectively. "Hey" she smiled up at him. He smiled down at her. Elijah looked at Leon "What was it?" Elijah asked. "Leon" Alana informed him. "Well lovely introductions Leon, but my sister and I are heading back home" "Nice meeting you, Lana?" Leon queried. "It's Alana" she smiled liking the way his accent curled the ending letters of her name. They slowly walked away from him until they were out of ear shot distance. "What happened? "Elijah asked. "I was panicking and he came up to me and started talking, it would have been more suspicious if I completely ignored him. Am I not right?" Alana stated. "True, at least you're not hurt. I don't know what I would do" "Well you don't have to know because it won't happen. "She replied "Yeah, well don't say that yet." He replied grimly. "Yeah, lets get out of here" They made it past the beige crumbled brick wall without being noticed. "What did you score?" Alana asked. "A couple of things. Mangoes, apples, bread, pastries and water. "He grinned. "You?" "Coconut shaving bars, pistachios, walnuts and pecans" She smiled. "Oh you forgot something" "what?" "Leon's attention." Elijah smirked."Piss off." Alana laughed. "Okay, okay." He ushered with his hands. "Lets eat."


	4. Superstition

They hastily walked to the abandoned building they called home or what was the closest thing to a home they've ever had. It was nightfall when they came back from their act of theft in the Marlyan district. Elijah hung his left arm over Alana's shoulder as they walked and spoke of distant memories of their childhood. They laughed at each other remembering whenever they almost got caught stealing food when she was ten and he was eleven. "You know it's not going to be as funny when we really get caught" laughed Elijah. "Wait really?" Alana remarked sarcastically widening her eyebrows. He ruffled her hair making her curls shake around. "No but seriously isn't that the point. We won't ever get caught." They smiled at each other.

"HEY!" They heard a shout in the distance. They widened their eyes and looked at each other. Alana felt a chill run down her spine preparing for who was speaking. Sweat beaded at her head as she grabbed Elijah's arm that was still over her shoulder. She held her breath. They both turned their bodies one hundred and eighty degrees. A mop of messy black hair, Amber eyes. Elijah choked on his saliva. "Oh fuck"he uttered. Leon started to walk over to where the friends were standing. Alana sprinted over to Leon, Elijah sprinting behind her. She tackled Leon to the ground holding him in a choke lock. Leon groaned as he hit the floor. "What are you doing here" Alana shouted sitting on top of his stomach. "Lana, chill could you imagine the shit they would to us if they figured out we laid a finger on angel blood? "Elijah stated. "Angel blood?" Leon queried. "What they don't know won't hurt them" Alana said. "Lana, think. Inhale, exhale remember." Elijah said. She concentrated and looked into Leon's amber orbs, she rotated her head left to right observing the surroundings, nothing. She released a sigh getting up from her position. "You're lucky I didn't want to deal with a dead body" She stated harshly looking down on him. "What are you doing here?" Elijah asked helping him up, Leon smiled thanking him by taking his hand. "I had to confirm my superstitions" Leon said. "So you had a feeling so you followed us through that bloody brick wall and passed the dry river and all this way to discover if we were Eldian or not?" She crossed her arms. "I mean I kinda figured it out by the brick wall" He said "So why'd you follow us out here?" Elijah asked. He reached into his pocket, Alana was ready to pounce. What was it? A gun? A knife? A bomb? Is it a suicide mission? She looked over to Elijah ready to grab his hand and run. She looked at Leon's hands and realised there were two yellow starred Eldian armbands. "We left them by the debris earlier and forgot to grab them" she looked at Elijah shocked. "Thanks" he said taking them from his hands. Leon smiled and looked at Alana." So is that everything or are you going to keep staring? Never seen devil blood before" she stated the derogatory term, she heard it too many times, it slowly implanted into her mind. "Lana he literally saved our lives. Do you know what they would have done to us if we lost our armbands? Show some form of gratitude." Elijah said. Lana sighed. "Fine I'm sorry. Thank you" She smiled her dimple showing in its full glory. "Happy?" She said. "Pleased" he replied. She laughed looking up realising the time. "It's late; we've got to go home." She stated beginning to walk. She turned back "You obviously don't have a place to stay so you're going to have to come with."


	5. Anxious

The trio hastily walked to the abandoned building the duo called home. "This is where u live?" Leon curiously asked adjusting his hooded jumper. "Live? More like survive" scoffed Alana. "I like to think of the building as a metaphor. It stands mounted yet its crumbling." Emphasised Elijah using his hands gesturing towards the building. "Wow. How linguistic" Alana remarked sarcastically battering her long eyelashes. "Thank you". He replied. "mm your welcome. Now can we go in?" she smiled. "Ladies first." Elijah ushered to Leon. "Age before beauty" Leon smiled at Elijah. "Ugh can you just go through the damn door." She walked past them. Leon walked behind her entering the building. "So did you just admit that I'm beautiful" Elijah said. "Don't get ahead of yourself babe. Beautiful is an overstatement. I think your slightly below average." She smiled looking past Leon to look at Elijah. "babe?" Leon muttered. "Yeah it's a term of endearment I use on my below average older brother." She said as she climbed the crumbling stairs. "We aren't kin but might as well be." Elijah added. The trio carried on climbing up the withered cobblestone stairs. They fell into a comfortable silence as they climbed up the last few steps and entered the so called apartment the friends owned. "Wait are you guys the only ones who live here?" Leon asked. "Yeah" Alana muttered awkwardly crossing her arms. "As Eldians we don't have many family members. People don't really have planned children and if they do the child is cursed." Elijah explained. Leon scrunched his eyebrows in confusion. "I mean if they're brought into this world it's immediate regret and agony so why bring something innocent child into a horrible world." Alana added, sitting on the nearest bunch of cloth she used as a cushion. "Why do people plan pregnancies in Marley?" Alana inquisitively asked the raven haired male. "Well most couples do." He replied. "Wow imagine having sex without thinking about the child." Elijah laughed. "or the STD's" Alana added. "You guys don't have forms of contraception." Leon asked. " Nope" Alana said as she popped her p. "So what's the plan for tomorrow?" Leon asked. "What do you mean, what's the plan for tomorrow? You're going straight back to Marley." Alana replied. "Imagine if people knew we communicated with clean blood?" Elijah stated shaking his head whilst looking at Leon. "Better yet. How do we know you won't snake to the Marleyan government about us. You know where we live. You know what we look like and you know our names. One word and we'd be sent straight to the torture chambers." Alana accused her petite frame shaking slightly. "Hey, inhale, exhale remember" Elijah stroked her should comfortingly. "Inhale, exhale?" Leon questioned. "It's a technique." Elijah explained although a second later interrupted abruptly by Alana. "It's not important." "I promise I will not go to the Marleyan government." Leon stated trying to calm Alana down. "How can we know that?" She shot back. "You're going to have to trust me."Leon replied. Alana stared at his chiselled face and high cheekbones long and hard until Elijah said they should go to their slumber. "Where should I sleep? Do you guys have a spare bed?" Leon asked. "We don't even have one bed" Elijah replied. "We use the good old floor" Alana patted the stoned floor. She moved to an empty space across the room. Elijah followed her and layed beside layed there silently until they hoped Leon was unconscious. "How can we trust him?" Alana whispered to her friend. "We can't but we are going to have to." Elijah whispered back. He smiled at her reassuringly. She nodded her head understanding that he was trying to calm her down, she turned her head and fell asleep waiting for the burning sun to rise to signal another day in her personal hell.


End file.
